Paloma Faith Blomfield (born 21 July 1981) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. After signing with Epic Records in 2008, Faith released her debut album, Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? (2009), which produced the UK top-twenty singles "Stone Cold Sober" and "New York". Her second album, Fall to Grace (2012), charted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, earned her two Brit Awards nominations, and spawned her first UK top-ten single "Picking Up the Pieces" and the top-twenty cover version of INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart".
Faith's third album, A Perfect Contradiction (2014), was certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry and spawned the UK top-ten singles "Can't Rely on You" and "Only Love Can Hurt Like This", with the latter topping the charts in Australia. She collaborated with the duo Sigma on the 2014 single "Changing", which charted atop the UK Singles Chart. Her fourth album, The Architect (2017), debuted at number one in the UK, becoming Faith's first number one album. In 2018, she co-wrote and featured on DJ Sigala's single "Lullaby". Her next two albums, Infinite Things (2020) and The Glorification of Sadness (2024), both reached the top-five in the UK.
As an actress, Faith appeared in the films St Trinian's (2007), The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), Dread (2009), Youth (2015), and the television series Pennyworth (2019–2022). She has also served as a coach on the television talent show The Voice UK (2016) and its spin-off The Voice Kids (2020). In 2024, Faith released the memoir, MILF, which became a Sunday Times Bestseller. In 2025, she was a contestant on the reality television show The Celebrity Traitors. Updated frequently.
During her time at college, Faith worked in a pub where the manager asked her to front his band, which they later called Paloma and the Penetrators. During a performance with the band at a cabaret show, she was scouted by an A&R man from Epic Records, who invited her to sing for the manager of the label. 20 minutes into the audition, she asked the manager to turn his phone off; when he refused, she walked out. The manager later called her and offered her a contract, claiming that he had seen many acts since their meeting but none had been as memorable as her. She turned down an opportunity to join Amy Winehouse's band in order to write and perform her own songs. Her first recognised work was the song "It's Christmas (and I Hate You)", which she recorded as a duet with Josh Weller in 2008.
In March 2010, Faith released her fourth single "Upside Down", which reached number 55 in the UK. To promote the album, she embarked on her first headlining tour of the UK and Ireland commencing in March. The Times described the tour as being "full of theatrical artifice, but based on the rock-solid foundation of Faith's sensational singing voice and a personality that sparkled like a rough diamond". She performed a live set for the BBC's Radio 2 Introduces... and gave an interview to host Dermot O'Leary. Faith performed at numerous festivals throughout that summer, including T4 on the Beach, the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and the 2010 iTunes Festival. In May 2010, Faith featured on the theme song "Keep Moving" to the 2010 British film 4.3.2.1, alongside Adam Deacon and Bashy. In October 2010, Faith released "Smoke & Mirrors" as the final single from her debut album.
In January 2011, Faith was nominated for British Female Solo Artist at the 2011 BRIT Awards, where she also performed "Forget You" alongside Cee Lo Green. She appeared on the charity single "Hard Times" with Plan B and Elton John in May 2011. In May 2012, Faith released her second studio album Fall to Grace. She enlisted record producers Nellee Hooper and Jake Gosling to work with her on the project. The album charted at number two on the UK Albums Chart. The album's first single "Picking Up the Pieces" reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Faith's first top ten single. In May 2012, Faith joined The Voice UK as one of four guest mentors. She worked with coach Danny O'Donoghue during the battle rounds phase of the competition and also performed "Picking Up the Pieces" during the results show.
In August 2012, Faith released "30 Minute Love Affair" as the second single from Fall to Grace. She recorded a version of INXS's "Never Tear Us Apart" for a John Lewis advertisement, which began airing on television from September 2012. It was later included on the album as a single. Faith released "Just Be" as the fourth single from the album on in December 2012. She performed the track on Later... with Jools Holland. In early 2013, Faith embarked on a headline UK and Ireland tour in support of the album. She received two nominations at the 2013 BRIT Awards; for Best Female and for Best British Album for Fall to Grace. The album has been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for sales in excess of 700,000 copies.
In September 2014, British drum and bass duo Sigma released their single "Changing", featuring vocals from Faith. It debuted at number one in the UK, becoming her first UK number one single. In November 2014, a repackaged "Outsider's Edition" of her third album was released featuring four new songs including the single "Ready for the Good Life". The same month, Faith joined the charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording a new version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise money for the 2014 Ebola crisis in West Africa. At the 2015 Brit Awards, Faith won the award for British Female Solo Artist, becoming her first win.
In June 2015, Faith confirmed that she had started the process of creating her fourth studio album. She made reference to Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin as inspirations for the record. In August 2015, it was announced that Faith would become a coach on The Voice UK. She also launched her own management and publishing company.
In August 2017, Faith returned with the lead single "Crybaby" from her fourth album entitled The Architect. The album was later released in November, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Faith's first UK chart-topping album. Three further singles from the album have been released: "Guilty", "'Til I'm Done" and "Warrior". In February 2018, Faith released a collaboration with DJ Sigala, "Lullaby", which charted at number six in the UK, becoming her fourth top ten single as a lead artist and fifth overall. The following month, Faith covered the 1960s song "Make Your Own Kind of Music" by Cass Elliot. It featured in a TV commercial by Škoda which was heavily played throughout the year, causing the track to chart at number 28 in the UK. In November 2018, Faith released a re-issue "Zeitgeist Edition" of The Architect, featuring six new songs including "Make Your Own Kind of Music", "Lullaby" and "Loyal".
In 2020, Faith reprised her role as a coach on The Voice UKs children's counterpart, The Voice Kids for its fourth series. In August 2020, the title of her fifth studio album was announced as Infinite Things.
On 31 January 2024, it was announced that Faith would be a headline performance at Camp Bestival at Weston Park in Shropshire in August 2024. On 28 January 2025 Faith launched her first podcast "Mad, Sad & Bad".
In 2018, Faith was cast as the lead villainess in the Epix series Pennyworth, a Batman prequel. She also voices Portia the goth poodle on 101 Dalmatian Street.
Faith married New Zealand chef Rian Haynes in 2005; they separated after eight months and were divorced in 2009. She later said of the marriage, "It was just a young, frivolous thing. We were in our early twenties and we did something quickly and realised it was a mistake. But we're still close. I am still friends with him. All my other relationships were the ones that screwed me up, not that one!"
In August 2016, it was revealed that Faith was expecting her first child with long-term boyfriend Leyman Lahcine. She gave birth to a daughter in December 2016, and had a second daughter in February 2021. In an October 2023 interview with The Independent, she stated that after their 10-year relationship had ended, but would not confirm that they had been married.
| + List of films and roles ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes | ||
| Dread | Clara Thornhill | |
| + List of television appearances and roles ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" | Notes |
| The Impressionists | Renoir's Model | 1 episode | ||
| Tricky TV | Coach | |||
| Tittybangbang | Hairsalon Customer / Nurse | Series 3, episodes 2 and 4 | ||
| Dogface | Various | Episode: 1.4 | ||
| Coming Up | Rainy | Episode: "I Don't Care" | ||
| Let's Dance For Comic Relief | Guest Judge | |||
| Brit Awards 2015 | Performer | |||
| 2009 | ATC Hitz Awards | Best New Act Female Singer | Herself | rowspan="3" |
| 2010 | Clothes Show Style Awards | The Best Dressed Woman of the Year | ||
| 2011 | Brit Awards | British Female Solo Artist | ||
| ASCAP Awards | ASCAP College Award | Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful? | ||
| MPG Awards | UK Single of the Year 2010 | rowspan="8" | ||
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Styling in a Video | "Smoke & Mirrors" | ||
| 2012 | Best Pop Video | "Picking Up the Pieces" | ||
| 4Music Video Honours | Best Video | |||
| 2013 | MPG Awards | UK Single Song Release of the Year | ||
| UK Album of the Year | Fall to Grace | |||
| Brit Awards | MasterCard British Album of the Year | |||
| British Female Solo Artist | Herself | |||
| Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Award | Cosmopolitan's Style Icon | |||
| 2014 | MP3 Music Awards | The JSB Award | "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" | |
| The HDT Award | "Changing" with Sigma | |||
| Urban Music Awards | Best Music Video | "Can't Rely on You" | rowspan=3 | |
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Video Artist | Herself | ||
| Best Colour Grade in a Video | "Can't Rely on You" | |||
| "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" | ||||
| Xperia Access Q Awards | Best Video | rowspan="2" | ||
| World Music Awards | World's Best Album | Fall to Grace | ||
| Pro Sound Awards | Best Recording Production | A Perfect Contradiction | rowspan="5" | |
| O2 Silver Clef Awards | Best British Act Award | Herself | ||
| Attitude Awards | Music Gong | |||
| Glamour Awards | Best Solo UK Artist | |||
| 2015 | Brit Awards | British Female Solo Artist | ||
| International Dance Music Awards | Best Dubstep/Drum & Bass Track | "Changing" with Sigma | rowspan="8" | |
| 2018 | Global Awards | Best Female | Herself | |
| Best Appeal | ||||
| Best British Artist or Group | ||||
| Brit Awards | British Female Solo Artist | |||
| Music Week | Artist Marketing Champaign | |||
| Webby Awards | Celebrity/Fan | www.palomafaith.com | ||
| 2019 | Brit Awards | British Single of the Year | "Lullaby" (with Sigala) | |
| Global Awards | Mass Appeal Award | Herself | ||
| Music Week | Music & Brand Partnership | Herself (with Škoda) | ||
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Choreography | "Loyal" | ||
| Best Colour Grading | ||||
| Shark Music Video Awards | ||||
| D&AD Awards | Best Production Design | |||
| Clio Awards | Music Marketing | Amazon Alexa | ||
| 2020 | Attitude Awards | Honorary Gay | Herself | |
| 2021 | Pop Awards | Song of the Year | "Better Than This" | |
| 2022 | Berlin Music Video Awards | Most Bizarre | "Monster" | |
| 2023 | British LGBT Awards | Advocacy | Herself | |
| 2024 | Artist & Manager Awards | The Icon Award |
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